I am looking at a Hobie 18 currently in Wawa, Ontario. The hull number is CCM H 5108 M 81 H, and the sail number is 8792.ID is CCM, Model H, Serial is 5108, Built in Model Year M, built in March 1981.There are Michigan stickers on the boom - the most recent is 1987 #006983.

The hulls are in reasonable shape, there is some old damage to the port bow from striking rocks in Lake Superior. When looking through the inspection ports you can see that they have been rubbed but seem to be solid. She has been stored outside without being sailed for the past year (actually I believe she has been stored outside for most of her life in Wawa (since probably 88).

The cat box has mould, and the sails inside are discoloured and certainly mildewy. I have no idea how old they are, but the battens are solid. The bungie lines that hold the trapeze wires need to be replaced, as does most of the other ropes. There is a brand new righting line, and 3 year old trampolines. The boat comes with the Magnum Wings and a brand new spinnaker with a slightly bent pole. The trapeze harnesses are mildewy (three of them), and look beat up. The jib sheet is new, but the mail halyard is not really nice looking, although it seems to be solid.

The trailer needs bearings, rollers and has no padding to protect the hulls. The wiring is also shorting out. He also has the Cat Trax, with disintegrated cups at the ends of the axles.

He is asking $2,000 for the cat, and all the associated gear and trailer.

My question is, "Is this a fair price".

This is a 31 year old boat. I think that all the sheets/halyards will have to be looked at closely and/or replaced. The hulls will be fine for this season, but should really be gel coated to prevent any further damage to the hulls. If I pass my hand under the hull while looking in the inspection port (on either side), I can see the shape of my hand pass by. So I think it is wearing a little thin. The sails will have to be cleaned. Soaked, and the mildew cleaned off. Hopefully, I can get another season out of them, but they will have to be replaced. The spinnaker is nice, but I'm not ready to run a spinnaker yet - I'd like to try more sailing first. The harnesses will have to be replaced, and they are $95 or so each, so with three in the family - $300 right away.

I'm on my 2nd H18....and I've sailed H18's every year here in Ottawa for the last 22 years...plus H16's and Wave's etc.Let's see who else chips in.....search the Forum for 'what to look for'...

Bill in upstate New York....are you there?

Here is what I would look for:

KEYS:

1 Hull condition. Those old H18's were heavy, and built like tanks, really solid. However, age has a way of creeping up on all of us. For a boat of that age, no one should expect perfection. Look for 'softness' in the decks which is a sign of delamination. Take off your shoes, go barefoot, and walk on the hulls, especially just in front of the rear cross bar. Feel any 'give'? Any material flexing? Delam can be fixed, quite easy, search the Forum. Know that it's there....Most everything else can be reglassed. Try a leak test with soapy water.2. Cross bar condition, especially the centre of the front cross bar...any hairline cracks? There are no more cross bars from Hobie, out of stock, out of production. There are 'fixes', but they are not pretty.3. Good mast, eyeball it, is it straight, no dents/bumps/kinks?4 Other stuff....just costs time and money...Lines, drain plugs, rudders, sails etc

New sails will run around $1,400 for plain vanilla...I paid $2K for Custom Pentex sails for my SX18 from Chip at Whirlwind. Who knows what's on eBay....Ropes, lines, bits and pieces...you can spend $1, you can spend $10,000, all depends on your budget. And how 'fussy' you are. Get to know the good guys at Fogh Marine, Toronto. Or Rob Jarry at Boat Works in Syracuse.

Trailer could be worth $200, it could be worth $600Cat box could be worth $100, could be worth $400The wings alone are worth $500 to $700, if they are undamaged and have good tramps. And the spin set up costs $1,800 new....and I could go on.The key is the hulls and the cross bars.Without those, you're looking at this being a parts boat.

_________________1989 Hobie SX18 Sail # 1947 "In Theory..."'Only two things are infinite, the universe, and human stupidity. But I'm not sure about the former.'

...2. Cross bar condition, especially the centre of the front cross bar...any hairline cracks? There are no more cross bars from Hobie, out of stock, out of production. There are 'fixes', but they are not pretty....

Unless some has dramatically changed in the past 6 months, your #2 isn't quite right. the crossbars are out of production, but when I spoke with Matt Miller last fall, there were still decent numbers (>2 dozen of each) available. However, at $500/each, if you do need to replace the crossbars, they add up fast.

Otherwise, John's post is right on the money with what to look for. With the wings, a lot of extra stress is placed on the crossbars, so check them closely. The usual spot for wing-induced cracking is just inside the inboard edge of the hulls, towards the bottom. If it doesn't have it, you may want to add the wing reinforcement kit ($275 or so) which adds riveted SS plates to where the wings attach to the crossbar to prevent these cracks.

Correction, those are SX wings. And the rudders are on backwards, switch sides.

The boat needs a bunch of work, but if you're willing to do it then it could turn out very nicely. Polish, lube, scrub it. Most of the replacement parts can still be had, such as sails, shrouds, anchor pins, sheets, halyards, main and jib blocks, port covers. As already mentioned, if the hulls, cross bars, mast, and rudder assembly, and dagger boards are in good condition then it's just a matter of how much money and time you want to spend fixing her up. Just ballparking, I'd say the cost of the parts I'd want to replace would be near the purchase price, but that's me, and I'm a bit picky in keeping my boats in safe and good working condition (I finally fixed my rudders, Cork Guy!!)

There's also the question of your local market availability for these boats and how badly you want it. I think your offer of $1600 is fair considering all the work and parts that it needs. And if it comes with the beach wheels then check the condition of the tires.

He called this morning and refused my offer of $1600. The weather has also not cooperated, so I haven't been able to go out with him and my family to see if everyone would enjoy sailing.

This afternoon we will take the mast down and de-rig the boat. Back into outdoor storage she will go. He is leaving back to his home in Vancouver, and I believe he is planning to post the boat on kijiji.

Kinda sad, I know I would have enjoyed the sailing. Unfortunately with my husband still a paramedic student - the budget to meet his price is not there, and there is still the cost of new/newer sails and other stuff to have fixed.